Cody Hackman biography

For Cody Hackman, acting has always been a passion. But for many years, it was challenged by his burning desire to compete in martial arts.

From a young age, the London, Ontario native was pulled in opposing directions by his divergent interests. His grandfather began teaching him the ins and outs of acting when he was a child but he was also drawn to karate the moment he stepped into a dojo at the age of eight (it should come as no surprise that one of his favorite films is The Karate Kid).

Despite picking up several distinguished accolades in karate, including five world champion titles, he turned his full attention to acting and eventually earned acceptance to the Sanford Meisner Studio in Burbank, California to study the Meisner Technique of acting.

He got his first job in the industry on an episode of the TV series Just for Laughs in 2007 and in 2012, cofounded the production company Hackybox Pictures.

Cody won his first feature film role in the 2014 movie Tapped Out, in which he played a disgruntled teenager sentenced to community service at a rundown karate school. Toronto-born Allan Ungar directed the film, which Cody helped write.

In the same year, Cody also appeared in the thriller Hidden in the Woods, which he executive produced.

Teaming up again with Allan in the 2015 film Gridlocked, Cody portrayed a young celebrity sentenced to community service. He starred alongside Dominic Purcell and Danny Glover in the movie, which has been called a throwback to the odd couple action films of the 1990s.

When Cody's not on set or at the dojo brushing up on his martial arts, he enjoys painting and interior decorating.

During his karate days, Cody competed against Twilight star Taylor Lautner and fellow Canadian actor Nick Bateman, whom he has worked with on screen and calls his best friend.